2019年12月英语四级真题答案解析(第三套)

2019年12月四级考试真题（第一套）Part I Writing(30minutes)Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China.Please recommend a city to him.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.PartⅡListening Comprehension(25minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,you will hear three news reports.At the end of each news report,you will hear two or three questions.Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once.Afteryou hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through thecentre.Questions l and2are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A)Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B)A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C)Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D)A wandering cow was captured by the police.2.A)It was shot to death by a police officer.B)It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C)It became a great attraction for tourists.D)It was sent to the animal controlQuestions3and4are based on the news report you have just heard.3.A)It is the largest of its kind.B)It is going to be expanded.C)It is displaying more fossil specimens.D)It is starting an online exhibition.4.A)A collection of bird fossils from Australia.B)Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.C)Some ancient wall paintings from Australia.D)Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest.Questions5to7are based on the news report you have just heard.5.A)Pick up trash.B)Amuse visitors.C)Deliver messages.D)Play with children.6.A)They are especially intelligent.B)They are children’s favorite.C)They are quite easy to tame.D)They are clean and pretty.7.A)Children may be harmed by the rooks.B)Children may be tempted to drop litter.C)Children may contract bird diseases.D)Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BDirections:In this section,you will hear two long conversations.At the end of each conversation,you will hear four questions.Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions8to11are based on the conversation you have just heard.8.A)It will be produced at Harvard University.B)It will be hosted by famous professors.C)It will cover different areas of science.D)It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9.A)It will be more futuristic.B)It will be more systematic.C)It will be more entertaining.D)It will be easier to understand.10.A)People interested in science.B)Youngsters eager to explore.C)Children in their early teens.D)Students majoring in science.11.A)Offer professional advice.B)Provide financial support.C)Help promote it on the Internet.D)Make episodes for its first season.Questions12to15are based on the conversation you have just heard.12.A)Unsure.B)Helpless.C)Concerned.D)Dissatisfied.13.A)He is too concerned with being perfect.B)He loses heart when facing with setbacks.C)He is too ambitious in achieving goals.D)He takes on projects beyond his ability.14.A)Embarrassed.B)Unconcerned.C)Miserable.D)Resentful.15.A)Try to be optimistic whatever happens.B)Compare his present with his past only.C)Always learn from others’achievements.D)Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CDirections:In this section,you will hear three passages.At the end of each passage,you will hear three or four questions.Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a question,youmust choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C)and D).Then mark thecorresponding letter on Answer Sheet1with a single line through the centre.Questions16to18are based on the passage you have just heard.16.A)They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B)They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C)They are more likely to become engineers.D)They have greater potential to be leaders.17.A)Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B)Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.C)Insist that boys and girls work together more.D)Respond more positively to boy’s comments.18.A)Offer personalized teaching materials.B)Provide a variety of optional courses.C)Place great emphasis on test scores.D)Pay extra attention to top students.Questions19to21are based on the passage you have just heard.19.A)It often rains cats and dogs.B)It seldom rains in summer time.C)It does not rain as much as people think.D)It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20.A)They drive most of the time.B)The rain is usually very light.C)They have got used to the rain.D)The rain comes mostly at night.21.A)It has a lot of places for entertainment.B)It has never seen thunder and lightning.C)It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D)It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions22to25are based on the passage you have just heard.22.A)It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B)It results from exerting one’s muscles continuously.C)It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D)It comes from straining one’s muscles in an unusual way.23.A)Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.B)Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C)They begin to make repairs immediately.D)They gradually become fragmented.24.A)About one week.B)About two days.C)About ten days.D)About four weeks.25.A)Apply muscle creams.B)Drink plenty of water.C)Have a hot shower.D)Take pain-killers.PartⅢReading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read the passage through carefullybefore making your choices.Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.Please mark thecorresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.You may notuse any of the words in the bank more than once.Millions of people travel by plane every single day.If you’re planning on being one of them soon,you might not be looking forward to the26feeling air travel often leaves you with.Besides the airport crowds and stress,traveling at a high altitude has real effects on the body.Although the pressure of the cabin is27to prevent altitude sickness,you could still28sleepiness or a headache.The lower oxygen pressure found in an aircraft cabin is29to that at6,000-8,000feet of altitude.A drop in oxygen pressure can cause headaches in certain30.To help prevent headaches,drink plenty of water,and avoid alcohol and coffee.Airplane food might not really be as tasteless as you31thought.The air you breathe in a plane dries out your mouth and nose,which can affect your sense of taste.Perception of sweet and salty foods dropped by almost30 percent in a simulation of air travel.However,you can make your taste buds active again by drinking water.A dry mouth may32taste sensitivity,but taste is restored by drinking fluids.Although in-flight infections33in dry environments like airplanes,your risk of getting sick from an airplane is actually low because of the air34used.Unless you’re sitting next to someone who is coughing or sneezing,you shouldn’t worry too much about getting sick.However,bacteria have been shown to live on cabin surfaces,so wash your hands35.A)adjusted I)particularB)channels J)primarilyC)equivalent K)reduceD)experience L)renovatedE)filters M)smoothF)frequently N)thriveG)individuals O)unpleasantH)originallySection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph from which the informationis derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Each paragraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2.Is Breakfast Really the Important Meal of the Day?A)Along with old classics like“carrots give you night vision”and“Santa doesn’t bring toys to misbehaving children”,one of the most well-worn phrases of tired parents everywhere is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.Many of us grow up believing that skipping breakfast is a serious mistake,even if only two thirds of adults in the UK eat breakfast regularly,according to the British Dietetic Association,and around three-quarters of Americans.B)“The body uses a lot of energy stores for growth and repair through the night,”explains diet specialist Sarah Elder.“Eating a balanced breakfast helps to up our energy,as well as make up for protein and calcium used throughoutthe night.”But there’s widespread disagreement over whether breakfast should keep its top spot in the hierarchy （等级）of meals.There have been concerns around the sugar content of cereal and the food industry’s involvement in pro-breakfast research—and even one claim from an academic that breakfast is“dangerous”.C)What’s the reality?Is breakfast a necessary start to the day or a marketing tactic by cereal companies?The most researched aspect of breakfast(and breakfast-skipping)has been its links to obesity.Scientists have different theories as to why there’s a relationship between the two.In one US study that analysed the health data of50,000 people over seven years,researchers found that those who made breakfast the largest meal of the day were more likely to have a lower body mass index(BMI)than those who ate a large lunch or dinner.The researchers argued that breakfast helps reduce daily calorie intake and improve the quality of our diet—since breakfast foods are often higher in fibre and nutrients.D)But as with any study of this kind,it was unclear if that was the cause—or if breakfast-skippers were just more likely to be overweight to begin with.To find out,researchers designed a study in which52obese women took part in a12-week weight loss programme.All had the same number of calories over the day,but half had breakfast,while the other half did not.What they found was that it wasn’t breakfast itself that caused the participants to lose weight:it was changing their normal routine.E)If breakfast alone isn’t a guarantee of weight loss,why is there a link between obesity and breakfast-skipping? Alexandra Johnstone,professor of appetite research at the University of Aberdeen,argues that it may simply be because breakfast-skippers have been found to be less knowledgeable about nutrition and health.“There are a lot of studies on the relationship between breakfast eating and possible health outcomes,but this may be because those who eat breakfast choose to habitually have health-enhancing behaviours such as regular exercise and not smoking,”she says.F)A2016review of10studies looking into the relationship between breakfast and weight management concluded there is“limited evidence”supporting or refuting（反驳）the argument that breakfast influences weight or food intake,and more evidence is required before breakfast recommendations can be used to help prevent obesity.G)Researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Aberdeen are halfway through research looking into the mechanisms behind how the time we eat influences body weight.Early findings suggest that a bigger breakfast is beneficial to weight control.Breakfast has been found to affect more than just weight.Skipping breakfast has been associated with a27%increased risk of heart disease,a21%higher risk of type2diabetes in men,and a20%higher risk of type2diabetes in women.One reason may be breakfast’s nutritional value—partly because cereal is fortified（增加营养价值）with vitamins.In one study on the breakfast habits of1,600young people in the UK,researchers found that the fibre and micronutrient intake was better in those who had breakfast regularly.There have been similar findings in Australia,Brazil,Canada and the US.H)Breakfast is also associated with improved brain function,including concentration and language use.A review of54studies found that eating breakfast can improve memory,though the effects on other brain functions were inconclusive.However,one of the review’s researchers,Mary Beth Spitznagel,says there is“reasonable”evidence breakfast does improve concentration—there just needs to be more research.“Looking at studies that tested concentration,the number of studies showing a benefit was exactly the same as the number that found no benefit,”she says.“And no studies found that eating breakfast was bad for concentration.”I)What’s most important,some argue,is what we eat for breakfast.High-protein breakfasts have been found particularly effective in reducing the longing for food and consumption later in the day,according to research by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.While cereal remains a firm favourite among breakfast consumers in the UK and US,a recent investigation into the sugar content of‘adult’breakfast cereals found that some cereals contain more than three-quarters of the recommended daily amount of free sugars in each portion,and sugar was the second or third highest ingredient in cereals.J)But some research suggests if we’re going to eat sugary foods,it’s best to do it early.One study recruited200 obese adults to take part in a16-week-long diet,where half added dessert to their breakfast,and half didn’t.Those who added dessert lost an average of40pounds more—however,the study was unable to show the long-term effects.A review of54studies found that there is no consensus yet on what type of breakfast is healthier,and concluded that type of breakfast doesn’t matter as much as simply eating something.K)While there’s no conclusive evidence on exactly what we should be eating and when,the consensus is what we should listen to our own bodies and eat when we’re hungry.“Breakfast is most important for people who are hungry when they wake up,”Johnstone says.“Each body starts the day differently—and those individual differences need to be researched more closely,”Spitznagel says.“A balanced breakfast is really helpful,but getting regular meals throughout the day is more important to leave blood sugar stable through the day,which helps control weight and hunger levels,”says Elder.“Breakfast isn’t the only meal we should be getting right.”36.According to one professor,obesity is related to a lack of basic awareness of nutrition and health.37.Some scientists claim that people should consume the right kind of food at breakfast.38.Opinions differ as to whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.39.It has been found that not eating breakfast is related to the incidence of certain diseases in some countries.40.Researchers found it was a change in eating habits rather than breakfast itself that induced weight loss.41.To keep oneself healthy,eating breakfast is more important than choosing what to eat.42.It is widely considered wrong not to eat breakfast.43.More research is needed to prove that breakfast is related to weight loss or food intake.44.People who prioritise breakfasts tend to have lower calorie but higher nutritional intake.45.Many studies reveal that eating breakfast helps people memorise and concentrate.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinishedstatements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide onthe best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a single line through thecentre.Passage OneQuestions46to50are based on the following passage.Textbooks represent an11billion dollar industry,up from$8billion in2014.Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest publisher-of any kind-in the world.It costs about$1million to create a new textbook.A freshman textbook will have dozens of contributors,from subject-matter experts through graphic and layout artists to expert reviewers and classroom testers.Textbook publishers connect professors,instructors and students in ways that alternatives,such as open e-textbooks and open educational resources,simply do not.This connection happens not only by means of collaborative development, review and testing,but also at conferences where faculty regularly decide on their textbooks and curricula for the coming year.It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses,largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks.But this can be chalked up to the excessively high cost of their books—which has increased over 1,000percent since1977.A restructuring of the textbook industry may well be in order.But this does not mean the end of the textbook itself.While they may not be as dynamic as an iPad,textbooks are not passive or lifeless.For example,over the centuries,they have simulated（模拟）dialogues in a number of ways.From1800to the present day,textbooks have done this by posing questions for students to answer inductively（归纳性地）.That means students are asked to use their individual experience to come up with answers to general questions.Today’s psychology texts,for example,ask:“How much of your personality do you think you inherited?”while ones in physics say:“How can you predict where the ball you tossed will land?”Experts observe that“textbooks come in layers,something like an onion.”For an active learner,engaging with a textbook can be an interactive experience.Readers proceed at their own pace.They“customize”their books by engaging with different layers and linkages.Highlighting,Post-It notes,dog-ears and other techniques allow for further customization that students value in print books over digital forms of books.46.What does the passage say about open educational resources?A)They contribute to teaching as much as to learning.B)They don’t profit as much as traditional textbooks do.C)They can’t connect professors and students as textbooks do.D)They compete fiercely for customers with textbook producers.47.What is the main cause of the publisher’s losses?A)Failure to meet student need.B)Industry restructuring.C)Emergence of e-books.D)Falling sales.48.What does the textbook industry need to do?A)Reform its structures.B)Cut its retail prices.C)Find replacements for printed textbooks.D)Change its business strategy periodically.49.What are students expected to do in the learning process?A)Think carefully before answering each question.B)Ask questions based on their own understanding.C)Answer questions using their personal experience.D)Give answers showing their respective personality.50.What do experts say about students using textbooks?A)They can digitalize the prints easily.B)They can learn in an interactive way.C)They can purchase customized versions.D)They can adapt the material themselves.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.When we think of animals and plants,we have a pretty good way of dividing them into two distinct groups:one converts sunlight into energy and the other has to eat food to make its energy.Well,those dividing lines come crashing down with the discovery of a sea slug（海蛞蝓）that’s truly half animal and half plant.It’s pretty incredible how it has managed to hijack the genes of the algae（藻类）on which it feeds.The slugs can manufacture chlorophyll,the green pigment（色素）in plants that captures energy from sunlight, and hold these genes within their body.The term kleptoplasty is used for describe the practice of using hijacked genes to create nutrients from sunlight.And so far,this green sea slug is the only known animal that can be truly considered solar-powered,although some animals do exhibit some plant-like behaviors.Many scientists have studied the green sea slugs to confirm that they are actually able to create energy from sunlight.In fact,the slugs use the genetic material so well that they pass it on to their future generations.Their babies retain the ability to produce their own chlorophyll,though they can’t generate energy from sunlight until they’ve eaten enough algae to steal the necessary genes,which they can’t yet produce on their own.“There’s no way on earth that genes from an alga should work inside an animal cell,”says Sidney Pierce from the University of South Florida.“And yet here,they do.They allow the animal to rely on sunshine for its nutrition. So if something happens to their food source,they have a way of not starving to death until they find more algae to eat.”The sea slugs are so good at gathering energy from the sun that they can live up to nine months without havingto eat any food.They get all their nutritional needs met by the genes that they’ve hijacked from the algae.51.What is the distinctive feature of a sea slug?A)It looks like both a plant and an animal.B)It converts some sea animals into plants.C)It lives half on animals and half on plants.D)It gets energy from both food and sunlight.52.What enables the sea slug to live like a plant?A)The genes it captures from the sea plat algae.B)The mechanism by which it conserves energy.C)The nutrients it hijacks from other species.D)The green pigment it inherits from its ancestors.53.What does the author say about baby sea slugs?A)They can live without sunlight for a long time.B)They can absorb sunlight right after their birth.C)They can survive without algae for quite some time.D)They can produce chlorophyll on their own.54.What does Sidney Pierce say about genes from an alga?A)They are stolen from animals like the sea slug.B)They can’t function unless exposed to sunlight.C)They don’t usually function inside animal cells.D)They can readily be converted to sea slug genes.55.What do we learn about sea slugs from the passage?A)They behave the way most plant species do.B)They can survive for months without eating.C)They will turn into plants when they mature.D)They will starve to death without sunlight.Part IV Translation(30minutes)Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.中国汉族人的全名由姓和名组成。

2019年12月四级参考答案完整版2019年12月四级参考答案完整版考证菌2019-12-14 23:03:46via星火英语四六级试卷采用多题多卷形式，大家核对答案时，找准具体选项内容，忽略套数。

写作（共三套，忽略套数，只核对内容）第一套Dear Tom,On hearing that you are planning to teach English in China and ask me to recommend a city, I'd like to recommend our capital city, Beijing, an international metropolis.The reasons why I recommend Beijing can be listed as follows. First of all, there are a lot ofEnglish-speaking foreigners in Beijing, which helps you adapt to life here very quickly. Furthermore, as the capital of several dynasties, Beijing has a profound cultural background, so you can better experience the extensive and profound traditional Chinese culture. Most importantly, parents in Beijing, an international metropolis with many multinational companies, attach great importance to their children's English learning and many people who work in multinational companies also need to learn English.I truly hope that you can come to Beijing to start your teaching life and I'm looking forward to your arrival. If you have any question about the city, please feel free to contact me for further information.Yours sincerely,Li Ming第二套Dear Tom,On hearing that you are planning to learn Chinese in China and ask me to recommend a place, I'd like to recommend our capital city, Beijing, an international metropolis.I recommend Beijing to you because of the following reasons. First of all, there are a lot ofEnglish-speaking foreigners in Beijing, which helps you adapt to life here very quickly. Furthermore, as the capital of several dynasties, Beijing has a profound cultural background, so you can better experience the extensive and profound traditional Chinese culture. Last but not least, with many people understand and master both Chinese and English, Beijing has a good bilingual atmosphere. It is good for you to improve your Chinese. You could communicate with local people in Chinese as much as possible because practice makes perfect.I truly hope that you can come to Beijing and learn Chinese here. I'm looking forward to your arrival. If you have any question about the city, please feel free to contact me for further information.Yours sincerely,-Dear Tom,I was so delighted to receive the letter from you. On hearing that you are planning to study in China, I decide to write you a letter to recommend a university. My recommendation is Xiamen University, which is one of the most outstanding universities in China.The reasons why I recommend this university can be listed asfollows. First of all, Xiamen University is located in a coastal city, Xiamen, which has beautiful and attractive seaside scenery. If you study here, you can have a walk and breathe the fresh air at the end of the day's study. How comfortable and enjoyable! More importantly, Xiamen University has a high reputation for its academic contributions to China and the world.I truly hope that you can come to Xiamen University to start your college life and I am looking forward to your arrival. If you are interested in my recommendation and want to know more detail about the university, please feel free to contact me.Yours sincerelyLI Ming听力（共两套，第三套仅顺序改变，忽略套数，只核对内容）第一套Section A: 1-71. D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. D) It was sent to the animal control department.3. B) It is going to be expanded4. C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia5. A) Pick up trash.6. A) They are especially intelligent.7. B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.Section B: 8-158. C) It will cover different areas of science.9. C) It will be more entertaining.10. A) People interested in science.11. B) Provide financial support.12. D) Dissatisfied13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect。

机密＊启用前l大学英语四级考试COLLEGE ENGLISH TEST—Band Four—(2019年12月第3套）试题册****************************************敬告考生一、在答题前，请认真完成以下内容：l.请检查试题册背面条形码粘贴条、答题卡的印刷质量，如有问题及时向监考员反映，确认无误后完成以下两点要求。

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二、在考试过程中，请注意以下内容：l.所有题目必须在答题卡上规定位置作答，在试题册上或答题卡上非规定位置的作答一律无效。

2.请在规定时间内在答题卡指定位置依次完成作文、听力、阅读、翻译各部分考试，作答作文期间不得翻阅该试题册。

听力录音播放完毕后，请立即停止作答，监考员将立即收回答题卡1'得到监考员指令后方可继续作答。

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4.选择题均为单选题，错选、不选或多选将不得分，作答时必须使用HB-2B铅笔在答题卡上相应位置填涂，修改时须用橡皮擦净。

三、以下情况按违规处理：l.未正确填写（涂）个人信息，错贴、不贴、毁损条形码粘贴条。

2.未按规定翻阅试题册、提前阅读试题、提前或在收答题卡期间作答。

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4.考试期间在非听力考试时间佩戴耳机。

全国大学英语四、六级考试委员会Part II Listening Comprehension(30 minutes) i I, 乙<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<�V �§特别说明V f\ V y 四级考试每次仅考两套听力§ V f\ §第三套听力试题同第一套或第二套试题一致§、�>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>7 'IPart IIIReading Comprehension (40 minutes) Section A Directions : /几this section , there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word foreach blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once . Millions of people travel by plane every single day. If you're planning on being one of them soon, you might not be looking forward to the 26feeling air travel often leaves you with. Besides the airport crowds and stress, travelling at a high altitude has real effects on the body. Although the pressure of the cabin is 27 to prevent altitude sickness, you could still 28 sleepiness or a headache. The lower oxygen pressure found in an aircraft cabin is29 to that at 6,000-8,000 feet of altitude. A drop in oxygen pressure can cause headaches in certain 30 . To help prevent headaches, drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol and coffee. Airplane food might not really be as tasteless as you 31 thought. The air you breathe in a plane如es out your mouth and nose, which can affect your sense of taste. Perception of sweet and salty foods dropped by almost 30 percent in a simulation of air travel. However, you can make your taste buds active again by drinking water. A dry mouth may32 taste sensitivity, but taste is restored by drinking fluids.Although in-flight infections 33 in dry environments like airplanes, your risk of getting sick from an airplane is actually low because of the air 34 used. Unless you're sitting next to someonewho is coughing or sneezing, you shouldn't worry too much about getting sick. However, bacteria have been shown to live on cabin surfaces, so wash your hands 35 . 4· 1更多学习资料请关注A)adjusted I)particularB)channels J)primarilyC)equivalent K)reduceD)expenence L)renovatedE)filters M)smoothF)frequently N)thriveG)individuals0)unpleasantH)originallySection BDirections : In this section , you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph fromwhich the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Eachparagraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letteron Answer Sheet 2.A South Korean city designed for the future takes on a life of its own[A]Getting around a city is one thing—and then there's the matter of getting from one city toanother. One vision of the perfect city of the future is a place that offers easy access to air travel.In 2011, a University of North Carolina business professor named John Kasarda published a book called Aerotropol区：The Way We'll Live Next. Kasarda says future cities should be built intentionally around or near airports. The idea, as he has put it, is to offer businesses "rapid, long-distance connectivity on a massive scale."[BJ "The 18th century really was a waterborne (水运的）century, the 19th century a rail century, the 20th century a highway, car, truck century—and the 21st century will increasingly be an aviation century, as the globe becomes increasin�ly connected by air," Kasarda says. Songdo, a city built from scratch in South Korea, is one of Kasarda's prime examples. It has existed for just a few years." From the outset, it was designed on the basis of connectivity and competitiveness," says Kasarda. "The government built the bridge d订ectly from the airport to the Songdo International Business District. And the surface infrastructure was built at the same time as the new airport."[C]Songdo is a stone's throw from South Korea's Incheon A卯ort,its main international hub (枢纽）．But it takes a lot more than a nearby airport to be a city of the future. Just building a place as an "international business district" doesn't mean it will become one. Park Yeon Soo co戊祝ved(构4·2更多学习资料请关注、想）加s city of the future back in 1986. He considers Songdo his baby. Park sees himself as a visionary. Thirty years after he imagined the city, Park's baby is close to 70 percent built, with 36, 000 people living in the business district and 90,000 residents in greater Songdo. It's about an hour outside Seoul, built on former tidal flats along the Yellow Sea. There's a Coast Guard building and a tall trade tower, as well as a park, golf course and university.[DJ Chances are you've actually seen this place. Songdo appears in the most famous music video ever to come out of South Korea. "Gangnam Style" refers to the fashionable Gangnam district in Seoul. But some of the video was filmed in Songdo." I don't know if you remember, there was a scene in a subway station. That was not Gangnam. That was actually Songdo," says Jung Won Son, a professor of urban development at London's Bartlett School of Planning. "Part of the reason to shoot there is that it's new and nice."[E]The city was supposed to be a hub for global companies, with employees from all over the worldBut that's not how it has turned out. Songdo's reputation is as a futuristic ghost town. But the reality is more complicated. A bridge with big, light-blue loops leads into the business district. In the center of the main road, there's a long血e of flags of the world. On the comer, there's a Starbucks and a 7-Eleven-all of the international brands that you see all over the world nowadays.[F]The city is not empty. There are mothers pushing baby carriages, old women with walkers—evenin the middle of the day, when it's 90 degrees out. Byun Young-Jin chairs the Songdo real estate association and started selling property here when the fi订st phase of the city opened in 2005. He says demand has boomed in the past couple of years. Most of his clients are Korean. In fact, the developer says, 99 percent of the homes here are sold to Koreans. Young families move here because the schools are great. And that's the problem: Songdo has become a popular Korean city—more popular as a residential area than a business one. It's not yet the futuristic international business hub that planners皿agined."It's a great place to live. And it's becoming a great place to work," says Scott Summers, vice president of Gale International, the developer of the city. The fl o or-to-ceiling windows of his company's offices overlook Songdo Central Park, with a canal full of small boats and people fi s hing. Shimmering (闪烁的）glass towers line the canal's edge.[G]"What's happened is that our focus on creating that quality of life fi订st has enabled the residentsto live here," Summers says. But there needs to be strong economic incentives for companies to locate here. The city is still unfi n ished, and it feels a bit like a theme park. It doesn't feel all that futuristic. There's a high-tech underground trash disposal system. Buildings are environmentally4·3更多学习资料请关注扣endly.Everybody's television set is connected to a system that streams personalized language or exercise classes.[HJ But this is not Star Trek. And to some of the residents, Songdo feels hollow. "I'm, like, in prison for weekdays. That's what we call it in the workplace," says a woman in her 20s. She doesn't want to use her name for fear of being fi订ed from her job. She goes back to Seoul every weekend. "I say I'm prison-breaking on Friday nights." But she has to make the prison break in her own car. There's no high-speed train connecting Songdo to Seoul, just over 20 miles away [I]Park Yeon Soo, the man who frrst imagined Songdo, feels frustrated, too. He says he built South Korea a luxury vehicle, " like Mercedes or BMW. It's a good car now. But we're waiting for a good driver to accelerate." But there are lots of other good cars out there, too. The world is dotted with futuristic, high-tech cities trying to attract the biggest international companies.[J]Songdo's backers contend that it's still early, and business space is filling up-about 70 percent of finished offices are now occupied. Brent Ryan, who teaches urban design at MIT, says Songdo proves a universal principle. "There have been a lot of utopian (乌托邦的）cities in history. And the reason we don't know about a lot of them is that they have vanished entirely." In other words, when it comes to cities—or anything else—it is hard to predict the future.36.Songdo's popularity lies more in its quality of life than its business attraction.37.The man who conceived Songdo feels disappointed because it has fallen short of his expectations.38.A scene in a popular South Korean music video was shot in Songdo.39.Songdo still lacks the fmancial stimulus for businesses to set up shop there.40.A叩lanes will increasingly become the chief means of transportation, according to a professor.41.Songdo has ended up different from the city it was supposed to be.42.Some of the people who work in Songdo complain about boredom in the workplace.43.A business professor says that a future city should have easy access to international transportation. 4·4更多学习资料请关注44.According to an urban design professor, it is difficult for city designers to foresee what willhappen in the future.45.Park Yeon Soo, who envisioned Songdo, feels a parental connection with the city.Section CDirections : There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or 畔吨ed staten记nts.For each of them there are four cho比es marked A) , B) , C) andD) . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on AnswerSheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.The fifth largest city in the US passed a significant soda tax proposal that will l evy (征税）1.5 cents per liquid ounce on distributors.Philadelphia's new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote. It sets a new bar for similar initiatives across the country. It is proof that taxes on sugary drinks can win substantial support outside super-liberal areas. Until now, the only city to successfully pass and implement a soda tax was Berkeley, California, in 2014.The tax will apply to regular and diet sodas, as well as other drinks with added sugar, such as Gatorade and iced teas. It's expected to raise $ 410 million over the next five years, most of which will go toward funding a universal pre-kindergarten program for the city.While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents to the measure, including soda lobbyists, made sharp criticisms and a promise to challenge the tax in court."The tax passed today unf: 扣rly singles out beverages—including low-and no-calorie choices," said Lauren Kane, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association. "But most importantly, it is against the law. So we will side with the majority of the people of Philadelphia who oppose this tax and take legal action to stop it."An industry-backed anti-tax campaign has spent at least $ 4 million on advertisements. The ads criticized the measure, characterizing it as a "grocery tax."Public health groups applauded the approved tax as a step toward fixing certain lasting health issues that plague Americans. "The move to recapture a small part of the profits from an industry that pushes a product that contributes to diabetes, obesity and heart disease in poorer communities in order to reinvest in those communities will sure be insp江ational to many other places," said Jim Krieger, executive director of Healthy Food America. "Indeed, we are already hearing from some of them. It's not'just Berkeley'anymore."Similar measures in California's Albany, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorado's Boulder are becoming hot-button issues. Health advocacy groups have hinted that even mor e•might be coming.4·S更多学习资料请关注46.What does the passage say about the newly-approved soda tax in Philadelphia?A)_ It will change the lifestyle of many consumers.B)It may encourage other US cities to follow suit.C)It will cut soda consumption among low-income communities.D)It may infl u ence the marketing strategies of the soda business.47.What will the opponents probably do to respond to the soda tax proposal?A)Bargain with the city council.B)Refuse to pay additional tax.C)Take legal action against it.D)Try to win public support.48.What did the industry-backed anti-tax campaign do about the soda tax proposal?A)It tried to arouse hostile feelings among consumers.B)It tried to win grocers'support against the measure.C)It kept sending letters of protest to the media.D)It criticized the measure through advertising.49.What did public health groups think the soda tax would do?A)Alert people to the risk of sugar-induced diseases.B)Help people to fi x certain long-time health issues.C)Add to the fund for their research on diseases.D)Benefi t low-income people across the country.50.What do we learn about similar measures concerning the soda tax in some other cities?A)They are becoming rather sensitive issues.B)They are spreading panic in the soda industry.C)They are reducing the incidence of sugar-induced diseases.D)They are taking away a lot of profi t from the soda industry.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Popping food into the皿crowave for a couple of皿nutes may seem utterly harmless, but Europe's stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7 million cars, a new study has found. And the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances beco皿ng"status" items, owners are throwing away皿crowaves after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new 4·6更多学习资料请关注'-血crowaves which are expected to reach 135皿Ilion annually in the EU by the end of the decade.A study by the University of Manchester calculated the emissions of CO2—the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change—at every stage of皿crowaves,from manufacture to waste disposal. "It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment," say the authors. The authors also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from using a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption should focus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour. For example, consumers could use appliances in a more efficient way by adjusting the time of cooking to the type of foodHowever, David Reay, professor of carbon management, argues that, although microwaves use a great deal of energy, the订emissions are minor compared to those from cars. In the UK alone, there are around 30皿Ilion cars. These cars emit more than all the microwaves in the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69 million tons of CO2 in 2015. This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven study estimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the EU. Further, the energy used by microwaves is lower than any other form of coo虹ng.Among common kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energy efficient, followed by a stove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave sales could be seen as a positive thing.51.What is the finding of the new study?A)Quick-cooking microwave ovens have become more popular.B)The frequent use of microwaves may do harm to our health.C)CO2 emissions constitute a major threat to the environment.D)The use of microwaves emits more CO2 than people think.52.Why are the sales of microwaves expected to rise?A)They are becoming more affordable.B)They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.C)They are getting much easier to operate.D)They take less time to cook than other appliances.53.What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?A)Cooking food of different varieties.B)Improving microwave users'habits.C)Eating less to cut energy consumption.D)Using microwave ovens less frequently.4·7更多学习资料请关注。

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第一套）Part I Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China. Please recommend a city to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part ⅡListening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and then questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1with a single line through the centre.Questions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1. A) Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B) A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C) Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D) A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. A) It was shot to death by a police officer. B) It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C) It became a great attraction for tourists. D) It was sent to the animal control department. Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) It is the largest of its kind. B) It is going to be expanded.C) It is displaying more fossil specimens. D) It is staring an online exhibition.4. A) A collection of bird fossils from Australia. B) Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.C) Some ancient wall paintings from Australia. D) Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest. Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) Pick up trash. B) Amuse visitors.C) Deliver messages. D) Play with children.6. A) They are especially intelligent. B) They are children’s favorite.C) They are quite easy to tame. D) They are clean and pretty.7. A) Children may be harmed by the rooks. B) Children may be tempted to drop litter.C) Children may contract bird diseases. D) Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BDirections:In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) It will be produced at Harvard University. B) It will be hosted by famous professors.C) It will cover different areas of science. D) It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9. A) It will be more futuristic. B) It will be more systematic.C) It will be more entertaining. D) It will be easier to understand.10. A) People interested in science. B) Youngsters eager to explore.C) Children in their early teens. D) Students majoring in science.11. A) Offer professional advice. B) Provide financial support.C) Help promote it on the Internet. D) Make episodes for its first season.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) Unsure. B) Helpless. C) Concerned. D) Dissatisfied.13. A) He is too concerned with being perfect. B) He loses heart when faced with setbacks.C) He is too ambitious in achieving goals. D) He takes on projects beyond his ability.14. A) Embarrassed. B) Unconcerned. C) Miserable. D) Resentful.15. A) Try to be optimistic whatever happens. B) Compare his present with his past only.C) Always learn from others’ achievements.D) Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CDirections:In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B) They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C) They are more likely to become engineers.D) They have greater potential to be leaders.17. A) Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B) Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.C) Insist that boys and girls work together more.D) Respond more positively to boys’ comments.18. A) Offer personalized teaching materials. B) Provide a variety of optional courses.C) Place great emphasis on test scores. D) Pay extra attention to top students. Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) It often rains cats and dogs. B) It seldom rains in summer time.C) It does not rain as much as people think. D) It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20. A) They drive most of the time. B) The rain is usually very light.C) They have got used to the rain. D) The rain comes mostly at night.21. A) It has a lot of places for entertainment.B) It has never seen thunder and lighting.C) It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D) It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B) It results from exerting one’s muscles continuously.C) It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity.D) It comes from staining one’s muscles in an unusual way.23. A) Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area.B) Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C) They begin to make repairs immediately.D) They gradually become fragmented.24. A) About one week. B) About two days.C) About ten days. D) About four weeks.25. A) Apply muscle creams. B) Drink plenty of water.C) Have a hot shower. D) Take pain-killers..Part ⅢReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.When travelling overseas, do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or 26 the ruins of Angkor. It’s hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. It’s the safe, sane thing to do, right? The bottle is27 , and the label says “pure water”, but maybe what’s inside is not so28 . Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than 90 percent of all bottled water sold around the world 29 microplastics?That’s the conclusion of a recently 30 study, which analyzed 259 bottles from 11 brands sold in nine countries, 31 an average of 325 plastic particles per liter of water. These microplastics included a 32 commonly known as PET and are widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and 33 containers. The study was conducted at the State University of New York on behalf of Orb Media, a journalism organization. About a million bottles are bought every minute, not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the 2.1 billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.Confronted with this 34 , several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coco-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology. These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than the Orb study suggested. Regardless, the World Health Organization has now launched a review into the 35 health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.The Quiet Heroism of Mail Delivery[A] On Wednesday, a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest. Overnight, Chicago reached a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making it slightly colder than Antarctica, Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zero in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and 45 degrees below zero in Buffalo, North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businesses closed, and more than 1,000 flights have been canceled.[B] Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail delivery temporarily. “Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPS employees,” USPS announced Wednesday morning, “the Postal Service is suspending delivery Jan. 30 in the following 3-digit ZIP Code locations.” Twelve regions were listed as unsafe on Wednesday; on Thursday, eight remained.[C] As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extreme weather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and other natural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague V ann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017’s Hurrican e Maria. Natural disasters can wreck a community’s infrastructure, disrupting systems for months or years. Some services, however, remind us that life will eventually return, in some form, to normal.[D] Days after the deadly 2017 wildfires in Santa Rosa, California, a drone caught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith, driving through burned homes in that familiar white van, collecting mail in an affected area. The video is striking: The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to Rae Ann Haight, the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS, Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched. For Smith, this was just another day on the job. “I followe d my route like I normally do,” Smith told a reporter. “As I’d come across a box that was up but with no house, I checked, and there was mail—outgoing mail—in it. And so we picked those up and carried on.”[E] USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across the country, 285emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control. These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps: people, property, product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agen cy’s top priority is ensuring that employees are safe. Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure, such as the roads that mail carriers drive on. Finally, it decides when and how to re-open operations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.[F] As soon as it’s safe enough to be outside, couriers start distributing accumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standing addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of other locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.[G] Every day, USPS processes, on average, 493.4 million pieces of mail—anything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can be extremely sensitive and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56 percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed. [H] It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion. After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.[I] Mail companies are logistics companies, which puts them in a special position to help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastruc ture as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack. “I think we’re unique as a federal agency,” USPS official Mike Swigart told me, “because we’re in literally every community in this country … We’re obligated to d eliver to that point on a daily basis.”[J] Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than a decade, FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012, the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California, and donated space for 3.1 million pounds of charitable shipping globally. Last October, thecompany pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPS’s charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebu ild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we needed to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving, prosperous,” he said.[K] Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a sense of normalcy can be difficult, but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “that’s the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”36. The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’ safety.37. One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other federal agencies38. Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39. Mail delivery service i$ still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.40. The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.41. After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery, temporary mail service points were set up.42. Postal service in some regions in the U.S. was suspended due to extreme cold weather.43. Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing urgent supplies.44. A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.45. Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.Section CDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handlethe enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel alre ady had 8 teaching assistants, but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill the questions and answers. After some adjustment and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with artificial intelligence and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all questions posed by students on the online forum. The name, Jill Watson, will of course, change to something else next semester. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of AI than say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.46. What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence?A) It is a robot that can answer students’ questions.B) It is a course designed for students to learn online.C) It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching.D) It is a computer program that aids student learning.47. What problem did Professor Goel meet with?A) His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B) His course was too difficult for the students.C) Students’ questions were too many to handle.D) Too many students dropped out of his course.48. What do we learn about Jill Watson?A) She turned out to be a great success. B) She got along pretty well with students.C) She was unwelcome to students at first. D) She was released online as an experiment.49. How did the students feel about Jill Watson?A) They thought she was a bit too artificial. B) They found her not as capable as expected.C) They could not but admire her knowledge. D) They could not tell her from a real person.50. What does Professor Goel plan to do next with Jill Watson?A) Launch different versions of her online.B) Feed her with new questions and answers.C) Assign her to answer more of students’ questions.D) Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Thinking small, being engaging, an d having a sense of humor don’t hurt. Those are a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from a recent study that examined nearly 400 campaigns. But having a large network and some promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding, raising money for a project through online appeals, has taken off in recent years for everything from making movies to building water-saving gadgets. Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors, too, with mixed success. Some raised more than twice their goal, but others have fallen short of reaching more modest targets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures, a team led by science communications scholar Mike Schäfer of the University of Zurich in Switzerland examined the content of the WebPages for 371 recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals, the researchers report in Public Understanding of Science. For one, they use a crowdfunding platform that specializes in raising money for science, and not just any kind of project. Although sites like Kickstarter take all comers, platforms such as , , and only present scientific projects. For another, they present the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humor improved success. Most of them engage with potential donors since projects that answered questions from interested donors and posted lab notes fared better. And they target a small amount of money. The projects included in the study raised $4000 on average, with 30% ofprojects receiving less than $1000. The more money a project sought, the lower the chance it reached its goal, the researchers found.Other factors may also significantly influence a project’s s uccess, m ost notably, the size of a scientist’s personal and professional networks, and how much a researcher promotes a project on his or her own. Those two factors are by far more critical than the content on the page. Crowdfunding can be part of researc hers’ efforts to reach the public, and people give because “they feel a connection to the person” who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science.51. What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for their projects?A) They did not raise much due to modest targets.B) They made use of mixed fundraising strategies.C) Not all of them achieved their anticipated goals.D) Most of them put movies online for the purpose.52. What is the purpose of Mike Schäfer’s research of recent crowdfunding campaigns?A) To create attractive content for science websites.B) To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C) To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D) To separate science projects from general ones.53. What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaign?A) The potential benefit to future generations. B) Its interaction with prospective donors.C) Its originality in addressing financial issues. D) The value of the proposed project.54. What did the researchers think of the financial targets of crowdfunding projects?A) They should be small to be successful. B) They should be based on actual needs.C) They should be assessed with great care. D) They should be ambitious to gain notice.55. What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaign?A) The ease of access to the content of the webpage.B) Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C) The significance and influence of the project itself.D) Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part ⅣTranslation (30 minutes) Directions:For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国家庭十分重视孩子的教育。

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题（第一套）Part Ⅰ WritingDirections: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a university to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.【参考范文】Dear Lucy,I am delighted to hear that you are going to learn Chinese in a Chinese university. Since you have asked for my advice about choosing which university, I will try to give you some useful suggestions here.It is well known that Peking University is a great place to learn Chinese. There are several factors accounting for this choice and the following are the most typical ones. First and foremost, Peking University is one of the top universities in China and the birthplace of many great minds. Therefore, it can provide high-quality teaching resources, which is essential for a foreigner learner.In addition, Beijing is the capital of China and there are various historic buildings. They provide foreign students a good chance to know Chinese culture and history.I hope you will find these suggestions helpful and wish you all the best.Yours,Li MingPart Ⅱ Listening ComprehensionSection AQuestions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A）Many facilities were destroyed by a wandering cow.B）A wandering cow knocked down one of its fences.C）Some tourists were injured by a wandering cow.D）A wandering cow was captured by the police.2. A）It was shot to death by a police officer.B）It found its way back to the park’s zoo.C）It became a great attraction for tourists.D）It was sent to the animal control department.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A）It is the largest of its kind.B）It is going to be expanded.C）It is displaying more fossil specimens.D）It is staring an online exhibition.4. A）A collection of bird fossils from Australia.B）Photographs of certain rare fossil exhibits.C）Some ancient wall paintings from Australia.D）Pictures by winners of a wildlife photo contest.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A）Pick up trash.B）Amuse visitors.C）Deliver messages.D）Play with children.6. A）They are especially intelligent.B）They are children’s favorite.C They are quite easy to tame.D）They are clean and pretty.7. A）Children may be harmed by the rooks.B）Children may be tempted to drop litter.C）Children may contract bird diseases.D）Children may overfeed the rooks.Section BQuestions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A）It will be produced at Harvard University.B）It will be hosted by famous professors.C）It will cover different areas of science.D）It will focus on recent scientific discoveries.9. A）It will be more futuristic.B）It will be more systematic.C）It will be more entertaining.D）It will be easier to understand.10. A）People interested in science.B）Youngsters eager to explore.C）Children in their early teens.D）Students majoring in science.11. A）Offer professional advice.B）Provide financial support.C）Help promote it on the Internet.D）Make episodes for its first season.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A）Unsure.B）Helpless.C）Concerned.D）Dissatisfied.13. A）He is too concerned with being perfect.B）He loses heart when faced with setbacks.C）He is too ambitious in achieving goals.D）He takes on projects beyond his ability.14. A）Embarrassed.B）Unconcerned.C）Miserable.D）Resentful.15. A）Try to be optimistic whatever happens.B）Compare his present with his past only.C）Always learn from others’ achievements.D）Treat others the way he would be treated.Section CQuestions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A）They have a stronger sense of social responsibility.B）They are more likely to succeed in the humanities.C）They are more likely to become engineers.D）They have greater potential to be leaders.17.A）Praise girls who like to speak up frequently.B）Encourage girls to solve problems on their own.c）Insist that boys and girls work together more.D）Respond more positively to boys’ comments.18. A）Offer personalized teaching materials.B）Provide a variety of optional courses.C）Place great emphasis on test scores.D）Pay extra attention to top students.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A）It often rains cats and dogs.B）It seldom rains in summer time.C）It does not rain as much as people think.D）It is one of the most rainy cities in the US.20. A）They drive most of the time.B）The rain is usually very light.C）They have got used to the rain.D）The rain comes mostly at night.21. A）It has a lot of places for entertainment.B）It has never seen thunder and lighting.C）It has fewer cloudy days than any other coastal city.D）It has mild weather both in summer and in winter.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A）It occurs when people are doing a repetitive activity.B）It results from exerting one’s mu scles continuously.C）It happens when people engage in an uncommon activity. D）It comes from staining one’s muscles in an unusual way. 23. A）Blood flow and body heat increase in the affected area. B）Body movements in the affected area become difficult.C）They begin to make repairs immediately.D）They gradually become fragmented.24. A）About one week.B）About two days.C）About ten days.D）About four weeks.25. A）Apply muscle creams.B）Drink plenty of water.C）Have a hot shower.D）Take pain-killers.Part Ⅲ Reading ComprehensionSection AQuestions 26 to 35 are based on the following passage.Finally, some good news about airplane travel. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory （呼吸道）viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in individual - had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented.29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore , these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study. litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the US. 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one roe in font of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A）accurate B）conclusion C）directlyD）either E）evaluate F）explorationsG）flights H）largely I）nearbyJ）respond K）slim L）spreadM）summit N）vividly O）vulnerable【参考答案】26-30 BLKAO31-35 CEGDHSection BA South Korean city designed for the future takes on a life of its ownA）Getting around a city is one thing —and then there’s the matter of getting from one city to another. One vision of the perfect city of the future: a place that offers easy access to air travel.In 2011, a University of North Carolina business professor named John Kasarda published a book called Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next. Kasarda says future cities should be built intentionally around or near airports. The idea, as he has put it, is to offer businesses “rapid, long-distance connectivity on a massive scale.”B）“The 18th century really was a waterborne （水运的）century, the 19th century a rail century. the 20th century a highway, car, truck century一and the 21st century will increasingly be an aviation century, as the globe becomes increasingly connected by air,” Kasarda says. Songdo, a city built from scratch in South Korea, is one of Kasarda’s prime examples. It has existed for just a few years.“ From the get-go, it was designed on the basis of connectivity and competitiveness,”says Kasada. “The government built the bridge directly from the airport to the Songdo International Business District. And the surface infrastructure was built in tandem with the new airport.”C）Songdo is a stone’s throw from South Korea’s Incheon Airport, its main international hub （枢纽）. But it takes a lot more than a nearby airport to be a city of the future. Just building a place as an “international business district” doesn’t mean it will become one. Park Yeon Soo conceived （构想）this city of the future back in 1986. He considers Songdo his baby. “I am a visionary,” he says. Thirty years after he imagined the city, Park’s baby is close to 70 percent built, with 36.000 people living in the business district and 90,000 residents in greater Songdo. It’s about an hour outside Seoul, built onreclaimed tidal flats along the Yellow Sea, There’s a Coast Guard building and a tall trade tower, as well as a park, golf course and university.D）Chances are you’ve actually se en this place. Songdo appears in the most famous music video ever to come ou of South Korea. “Gangnam Style” refers to the fashionable Gangnam district in Seoul. But some of the video was filmed in Songdo.“I don’t know if you remember, there was a scene in a subway station. That was not Gangnam. That was actually Songdo,” says Jung Won Son, a professor of urban development at London’s Bartlett School of Planning, “Part of the reason to shoot there is that it’s new and nice.”E）The city was supposed to be a hub for global companies, with employees from all over the world. But hat’s not how it has turned out. Songdo’s reputation is as a futuristic ghost town. But the reality is more complicated. A bridge with big, light-blue loops leads into the business district. In the center of the main road, there’s a long line of flags of the world. On the corner, there’s a Starbucks and a 7-Eleven--all of the international brands that you see all over the world nowadays.F）The city is not empty. There are mothers pushing strollers, old women with walkers -- even in the middle of the day. when it’s 90 degrees out. Byun Young-Jin chairs the Songdo real estate association and started selling property here when the first phase of the city opened in 2005. He says demand has boomed in the past couple of years. Most of his clients are Korean. In fact, the developer says, 99 percent of the homes here are sold to Koreans. Young families move here because the schools are great. And that’s the problem: Songdo has become a popular Korean city 一more popular as a residential area than a business one. It’s not yet the futuristic international business hub that planners imagined. “It’s a great place to live. And it’s becoming a great place to work,” says Scott Summers, the vice president of Gale International, the developer of the city. The floor-to-ceiling windows of his company’s offices overlook Songdo Central Park, with a canal full of kayaks and paddle boats. Shimmering （闪烁的）glass towers line the canal’s edge.G）“What’s happened is, because we focused on creating that quality of life first, which enabled the residents to live here, what has probably missed the mark is for companies to locate here,” he says. “There needs to be strong economic incentives.” The city is still unfinished, and it feels a bit like a theme park. It doesn’t feel all that futuristic. There’s a high-tech underground trash disposal system. Buildings are environmentally friendly. Everybody’s television set is connected to a system that streams personalized language or exercise classes.H）But Star Trek this is not. And to some of the residents, Songdo feels hollow. “I’m, like, in prison for weekdays. That’s what we call it in the workplace,” saysa woman in her 20s. She doesn’t want to use her name for fear of bein g fired from her job. She goes back to Seoul every weekend. “I say I’mprison-breaking on Friday nights.” But she has to make the prison break in her own car. There’s no high-speed train connecting Songdo to Seoul, just over 20 miles away.I）The man who first imagined Songdo feels frustrated. too. Park says he built South Korea a luxury vehicle, “like Mercedes or BMW. It’s a good car now. But we’re waiting for a good driver to accelerate.” But there are lots of other good cars out there, too. The world is dotted with futuristic, high-tech cities trying to attract the biggest international companiesJ）Songdo’s backers contend that it’s still early, and business space is filling up—about 70 percent of finished offices are now occupied. Brent Ryan, who teache s urban design at MIT, says Songdo proves a universal principle. “There have been a lot of utopian （乌托邦的）cities in history. And the reason we don’t know about a lot of them is that a lot of them have vanished entirely.” In other words, when it comes to cities—or anything else—it is hard to predict the future.36. Songdo’s popularity lies more in its quality of life than its business attraction.37. The man who conceives Songdo feels disappointed because it has fallen short of his expectations.38. A scene in a popular South Korean music video was shot in Songdo.39. Songdo still lacks the financial stimulus for businesses to set up shop there.40. Airplanes will increasingly become the chief means of transportation, according to a professor.41. Songdo has ended up different from the city it was supposed to be.42. Some of the people who work in Songdo complain about boredom in the workplace.43. A business professor says that a future city should have easy access to international transportation.44. Acording to an urban design professor, it is difficult for city designers to foresee what happen in the future.45. Park Yeon So. Who envisioned Songdo, feels a parental connection with the city.【参考答案】36-40 FIDGB41-45 EHAJCSection CPassage OneQuestions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.The fifth largest city in the US passed a significant soda tax proposal that will levy （征税）1.5cents per liquid ounce on distributors.Philadelphia’s new measure was approved by a 13 to 4 city council vote. It sets a new bar for similar initiatives across the county. It is proof that taxes on sugary drinks can win substantial support outside super-liberal areas. Until now, the only city to successfully pass and implement a soda tax was Berkeley, California, in 2014.The tax will apply to regular and diet sodas, as well as other drinks with added sugar, such as Gatorade and iced teas. It’s expected to raise $410 million over the next five years, most of which will go toward funding a universalpre-kindergarten program for the city.While the city council vote was met with applause inside the council room, opponents to the measure, including soda lobbyists made sharp criticisms and a promise to challenge the tax in court.“The tax passed today unfairly singles out bevera ges—including low- andno-calorie choices,” said Lauren Kane, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association. “But most importantly, it is against the law. So we will side with the majority of the people of Philadelphia who oppose this tax and take lega l action to stop it.”An industry backed anti-tax campaign has spent at least $4 million on advertisements. The ads criticized the measure. characterizing it as a“grocery tax.”Public health groups applauded the approved tax as a step toward fixing certain lasting health issues that plague Americans. “The move to recapture a small part of the profits from an industry that pushes a product that contributesto diabetes, obesity and heart disease in poorer communities in order to reinvest in those communities will sure be inspirational to many other places,” said Jim Krieger, executive director of Healthy Food America. “Indeed, we are already hearing from some of them. It’s not just Berkeley’ anymore.”Similar measures in California’s Albany, Oakland, San Francisco and Colorado’s Boulder are becoming hot-button issues Health advocacy groups have hinted that even more might be coming.46. What does the passage say about the newly-approved soda tax in Philadelphia?A）It will change the lifestyle of many consumers.B）It may encourage other US cities to follow suit.C）It will cut soda consumption among low-income communities.D）It may influence the marketing strategies of the soda business.47. What will the opponents probably do to respond to the soda tax proposal? A）Bargain with the city council.B）Refuse to pay additional tax.C）Take legal action against it.D）Try to win public support.48. What did the industry-backed anti-tax campaign do about the soda tax proposal?A）It tried to arouse hostile feelings among consumers.B）It tried to win grocers’ support against the measure.C）It kept sending letters of protest to the media.D）It criticized the measure through advertising.49. What did public health groups think the soda tax would do?A）Alert people to the risk of sugar-induced diseases.B）Help people to fix certain long-time health issues.C）Add to the fund for their research on diseases.D）Benefit low-income people across the country.50. What do we learn about similar measures concerning the soda tax in some other cities?A）They are becoming rather sensitive issues.B）They are spreading panic in the soda industry.C）They are reducing the incidence of sugar-induced diseases.D）They are taking away lot of profit from the soda industry.Passage TwoQuestions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.Popping food into the microwave for a couple of minutes may seem utterly harmless, but Europe’s stock of these quick-cooking ovens emit as much carbon as nearly 7 million cars, a new study has found. And the problem is growing. With costs falling and kitchen appliances becoming “status” items, owners are throwing away microwaves after an average of eight years. This is pushing sales of new microwaves which are expected to reach 135 million annually in the EU by the end of the decade.A study by the University of Manchester calculated the emissions of CO2—the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change—at every stage of microwaves, from manufacture to waste disposal. “It is electricity consumption by microwaves that has the biggest impact on the environment,” say the authors. The authors also calculate that the emissions from using 19 microwaves over a year are the same as those from using a car. According to the same study, efforts to reduce consumption should focus on improving consumer awareness and behaviour. For example, consumers could use appliances in a more efficient way by adjusting the time of cooking to the type of food.However, David Reay, professor of carbon management, argues that, although microwaves use a great deal of energy, their emissions are minor compared to those from cars. In the UK alone, there are around 30 million cars. These cars emit more than all the microwaves in the EU. Backing this up, recent data show that passenger cars in the UK emitted 69 million tons of CO2 in 2015. This is 10 times the amount this new microwave oven study estimates for annual emissions for all the microwave ovens in the EU. Further, theenergy used by microwaves is lower than any other from of cooking. Among common kitchen appliances used for cooking, microwaves are the most energy efficient, followed by a stove and finally a standard oven. Thus, rising microwave sales could be seen as a positive thing.51. What is the finding of the new study?A）Quick-cooking microwave ovens have become more popular.B）The frequent use of microwaves may do harm to our health.C）CO2 emissions constitute a major threat to the environment.D）The use of microwaves emits more CO2 than people think.52. Why are the sales of microwaves expected to rise?A）They are becoming more affordable.B）They have a shorter life cycle than other appliances.C）They are getting much easier to operate.D）They take less time to cook than other appliances.53. What recommendation does the study by the University of Manchester make?A）Cooking food of different varieties.B）Improving microwave users’ habits.C）Eating less to cut energy consumption.D）Using microwave ovens less frequently.54. What does Professor David Reay try to argue?A）There are far more emissions from cars than from microwaves.B）People should be persuaded into using passenger cars less often.C）The UK produces less CO2 than many other countries in the EU.D）More data are needed to show whether microwaves are harmful.55. What does Professor David Reay think of the use of microwaves?A）It will become less popular in the coming decades.B）It makes everyday cooking much more convenient.C）It plays a positive role in environmental protection.D）It consumes more power than conventional cooking.Part Ⅳ Translation中国家庭十分重视孩子的教育。

2019年12月英语四级真题作文解析（三套汇总）写作本次四级写作考查书信写作，因此答题时需要注意书信的格式。

需要着重强调的一点是：审题。

乍一看下，三篇作文题分别要求推荐一个“place”, “university”或“city"，很容易让部分考生误以为是要求写一篇参观游览，或者介绍型文章，但读完整个题干你就会发现，这封推荐信的真实目的是：外国友人要学习中文（或来华教英语，就学），在此基础上为这位外国友人进行推荐。

从这里可以得出，推荐信的重点应该放在你所推荐的某处，可以从哪些方面帮助到这位外国友人实现他的目的，而非仅仅着眼于介绍该处。

明确这一点后，本次的写作的题目把握应该就到位了。

结构上看：首先，仍旧是刚刚强调的书信格式，注意称谓。

然后每部分的内容可以是：首段：寒暄问候，给出你的推荐，中段：分几个方面陈述你的推荐理由：注意要与外国友人的目的要有关系末段：表达你对友人即将来华的期待，以及附上书信结束语及问候词汇上看：关键词"建议"可以选HTrecommendatiorT, “suggestion"，"advice”，注意灵活选用词性。

然后需要留意，如果推荐的是University,既可以是实际真实的University,也可以虚设一个。

但如果是真实的University,必须要确保学校名称拼写正确，避免弄巧成拙。

如:Jt^^^=Peking University Beijing Universityo 稳妥起见，用XXX University这样不过不失的方法未尝不是一个明智选择；推荐其它地点，城市时同样需要注意拼写正确。

此外，同学们在写作时还可以在词汇多样性方面加强重视。

我们本次直播的范文中，推荐“母校”时，即使只是为了表达这个学校，就分别使用了学校名字(Shanghai Institute of Languages)my university,拟人的“she”以及学校名字的首字母缩略(SIL)这样四种形式，如此一来就避免了重复单调。

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题完整版（第三套）Part Ⅰ Writing (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to learn Chinese. Please recommend a city to him. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.Part Ⅱ Listening Comprehension (25 minutes)Section ADirections: In this section, you will hear three news reports. At the end of each news report, you will hear two or three questions. Both the news report and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions l and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.1.A) The number of male nurses has gone down.B) There is discrimination against male nurses.C) There is a growing shortage of medical personnel.D) The number of nurses has dropped to a record low.2. A) Working conditions.B) Educational system.C) Inadequate pay.D) Cultural bias.Questions 3 and 4 are based on the news report you have just heard.3. A) He fell out of a lifeboat.B) He was almost drowned.C) He lost his way on a beach.D) He enjoyed swimming in the sea.4. A) The lifeboats patrol the area round the clock.B) The beach is a good place to watch the tide.C) The emergency services are efficient.D) The beach is a popular tourist resort.Questions 5 to 7 are based on the news report you have just heard.5. A) It climbed 25 storeys at one go.B) It broke into an office room.C) It escaped from a local zoo.D) It became an online star.6. A) Release it into the wild.B) Return it to its owner.C) Send it back to the zoo.D) Give it a physical checkup.7. A) A racoon can perform acts no human can.B) A racoon can climb much higher than a cat.C) The racoon did something no politician could.D) The raccoon became as famous as some politicians.Section BDirections: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 8 to 11 are based on the conversation you have just heard.8. A) She received a bonus unexpectedly.B) She got a well-paying job in a bank.C She received her first monthly salary.D) She got a pay raise for her performance.9. A) Two decades ago.B) Several years ago.C) Just last month.D) Right after graduation.10. A) He sent a small check to his parents.B) He treated his parents to a nice meal.C) He took a few of his friends to a gym.D) He immediately deposited it in a bank.11. A) Join her colleagues for gym exercise.B) Visit her former university campus.C) Buy some professional clothes.D) Budget her salary carefully.Questions 12 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.12. A) He has just too many things to attend to.B) He has been overworked recently.C) He has a difficult decision to make.D) He has just quarreled with his girlfriend.13. A) Turn to his girlfriend for assistance.B) Give priority to things more urgent.C) Think twice before making the decision.D) Seek advice from his family and advisor.14. A) His girlfriend does not support his decision.B) He is not particularly keen on the job offered.C) He lacks the money for his doctoral program.D) His parents and advisor have different opinions.15. A)They need time to make preparations.B) They haven’ t started their careers yet.C) They need to save enough money for it.D) They haven’t won their parents’ approval.Section CDirections: In this section, you will hear three passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Then mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 1 with a single line through the centre.Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.16. A) Expressing ideas and opinions freely.B) Enriching social and intellectual lives.C) Acquiring information and professional knowledge.D) Using information to understand and solve problems.17. A) Traveling to different places in the world.B) Playing games that challenge one’s mind.C) Improving mind-reading strategies.D) Reading classic scientific literature.18. A) Participate in debates or discussions.B) Expose themselves to different cultures.C) Discard personal biases and prejudices.D) Give others freedom to express themselves.Questions 19 to 21 are based on the passage you have just heard.19. A) Why dogs can be faithful friends of humans.B) The nature of relationships between dogs.C) The reason a great many people love dogs.D) How dogs feel about their bonds with humans.20. A) They behave like other animals in many ways.B) They have an unusual sense of responsibility.C) They can respond to humans’ questions.D) They can fall in love just like humans.21. A) They stay with one partner for life.B) They have their own joys and sorrows.C) They experience true romantic love.D) They help humans in various ways.Questions 22 to 25 are based on the passage you have just heard.22. A) A rare animal.B) A historical site.C) A cow bone.D) A precious stone.23. A) Dating it.B) Preserving it.C) Measuring it.D) Identifying it.24. A) The channel needs to interview the boy.B) The boy should have called an expert.C) The boy's family had acted correctly.D) The site should have been protected.25. A) Conduct a more detailed search.B) Ask the university to reward Jude.C) Search for similar fossils elsewhere.D) Seek additional funds for the search.Part III. Reading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section AFinally, some good news about airplane traverl. If you are on a plane with a sick passenger, you are unlikely to get sick. That is the 26 of a new study that looked at how respiratory(呼吸道)viruses 27 on airplanes. Researchers found that only people who were seated in individual – had a high risk of catching the illness. All other passengers had only a very 28 chance of getting sick ,according to the findings. Media reports have not necessarily presented 29 information about the risk of getting infected on an airplane in the past. Therefore , these new findings should help airplane passengers to feel less 30 to catching respiratory infections while traveling by air.Prior to the new study, litter was known about the risks of getting 31 infected by common respiratory viruses, such as the flu or common cold, on an airplane, the researchers said. So, to 32 the risks of infection, the study team flew on 10 different 33 in the U.S. 34 side of a person infected with flu, as well as those sitting one roe in front of or behind this individual, had about an 80 person chance of getting sick. But other passengers were 35 safe from infection. They had a less than 3 percent chance of catching the flu.A) accurateB) conclusionC) directlyD) eitherE) evaluateF) explorationsG) flightsH) largelyI) nearbyJ) respondK) slimL) spreadM) summitN) vividlyO) vulnerableSection B暂无真题Section C暂无真题Part Ⅳ Translation (30 minutes)Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.中国汉族人的全名由姓和名组成。

2019年12月大学英语四级考试真题(第3套)Part I Writing(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to write a letter to a foreign friend who wants to teach English in China.Please recommend a city to him.You should write at least120words but no more than180words.Part II Listening Comprehension(25minutes)说明：由于2019年12月四级考试全国共考了两套听力，本套真题听力与前两套内容完全一样，只是顺序不一样，因此在本套真题中不再重复出现。

Part III Reading Comprehension(40minutes) Section ADirections:In this section,there is a passage with ten blanks.You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage.Read thepassage through carefully before making your choices.Each choice in the bank isidentified by a letter.Please mark the corresponding letter for each item on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.You may not use any of the words in the bank morethan once.Questions26to35are based on the following passage.When travelling overseas,do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or26the ruins of Angkor.It’s hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor.It’s the safe thing to do,right?The bottle is27and the label says“pure water”.But maybe what’s inside is not so28.Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than90percent of all bottled water sold around the world29microplastics?That’s the conclusion of a recently30study,which analysed259bottles from11brands sold in nine countries,31an average of325plastic particles per litre of water.These microplastics included a32commonly known as PET and widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and33containers.The study was conducted at the State University of New York on behalf of Orb Media,a journalism organisation.About a million bottles are bought every minute,not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the2.1billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.Confronted with this34several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coca-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology.These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics,but far less than the Orb study suggested.Regardless,the World Health Organisation has launched a review into the35health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.A.adequateB.admiringC.containsD.defendingE.evidenceF.instantG.liquid H.modifiedI.natural J.potential K.released L.revealing M.sealed N.solves O.substanceSection BDirections:In this section,you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it.Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.Identify the paragraph fromwhich the information is derived.You may choose a paragraph more than once.Eachparagraph is marked with a letter.Answer the questions by marking the correspondingletter on Answer Sheet2.The quiet heroism of mail deliveryA)On Wednesday,a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest.Overnight,Chicago reached a lowof21degrees Fahrenheit below zero,making it slightly colder than Antarctica(南极洲),Alaska, and the North Pole.Wind chills were64degrees below zero in Park Rapids,Minnesota,and45 degrees below zero in Buffalo,North Dakota,according to the National Weather Service.Schools, restaurants,and businesses closed,and more than1,000flights were canceled.B)Even the United States Postal Service(USPS)suspended mail delivery.“Due to this arctic outbreakand concerns for the safety of USPS employees,”USPS announced Wednesday morning,“the Postal Service is suspending delivery Jan.30in some3-digit ZIP Code locations.”Twelve regions were listed as unsafe on Wednesday;on Thursday,eight remained.C)As global surface temperatures increase,so does the likelihood of extreme weather.In2018alone,wildfires,volcanic eruptions,hurricanes,mudslides,and other natural disasters cost at least$49 billion in the United States.As my colleague Vann Newkirk reported,Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from2017’s Hurricane Maria.Natural disasters can wreck a community’s infrastructure,disrupting systems for months or years.Some services,however,remind us that life will eventually return,in some form,to normal.D)Days after the deadly2017wildfires in Santa Rosa,California,a drone(无人机)caught footage(连续镜头)of a USPS worker,Trevor Smith,driving through burned homes in that familiar white van,collecting mail in an affected area.The video is striking:The operation is familiar,but the scene looks like the end of the world.According to Rae Ann Haight,the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS,Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched:For Smith,this was just another day on the job.“I followed my route like I normally do,”Smith told a reporter.“As I came across a box that was up but with no house,I checked,and there was mail—outgoing mail—in it.And so we picked those up and carried on.”E)USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters.Across the country,285emergency-management teams are devoted to crisis control.These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps:people,property,product.After mail service stops due to weather,the agency’s top priority is ensuring that employees are safe.Then it evaluates the health of infrastructure,such as the roads that mail carriers drive on.Finally,it decides when and how to re-open operations.If the destruction is extreme,mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere.In response to Hurricane Katrina in2005,USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to existingmail facilities in Houston.Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.F)As soon as it’s safe enough to be outside,couriers(邮递员)start distributing accumulated mailon the still accessible PS urges those without standing addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location.After Hurricane Katrina hit in2005,mail facilities were set up in dozens of locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.G)Every day,USPS processes,on average,493.4million pieces of mail-anything from postcards toSocial Security checks to medicine.Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important.But some mail can be extremely sensitive and timely.According to data released in January2017,56percent of bills are paid online,which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed.H)It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks,but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material.They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach the right people in a timely fashion.After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall,USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received on time.I)Mail companies are logistics(物流)companies,which puts them in a special position to help whendisaster strikes.In a2011USPS case study,the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset”to be called upon in a disaster or terrorist attack.“I think we’re unique as a federal agency,”USPS official Mike Swigart told me,“because we’re in literally every community in this country...We’re obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.”J)Private courier companies,which have more dollars to spend,use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster.For more than a decade,FedEx has supported the American Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters,both domestically and internationally.In2012,the company distributed more than1,200MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California.They also donated space for3.1million pounds of charitable shipping st October,the company pledged$1million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael.UPS’s charitable arm,the UPS Foundation,uses the company’s logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild.“We realize that as a company with people,trucks,warehouses,we needed to play a larger role,”said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation.The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine,and water.The day before I spoke to Martinez in November,he had been touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American Red Cross.”We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving,”he said.K)Rebuilding can take a long time,and even then，impressions of the disaster may still remain.Returning to a normal life can be difficult,but some small routines—mail delivery being one of them—may help residents remember that their communities are still their communities.“When they see that carrier back out on the street,”Swigart said,“that’s the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”36.The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees’safety.37.One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared withother federal agencies.38.Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.39.Mail delivery service is still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.40.The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.41.After Hurricane Katrina interrupted routine delivery,temporary mail service points were set up.42.Postal service in some regions in the U.S.was suspended due to extreme cold weather.43.Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing urgent supplies.44.A dedicated USPS employee was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.45.Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.Section CDirections:There are2passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C)and D).You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet2with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions46and50are based on the following passage.Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class,Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence.This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program.Professor Goel already had eight teaching assistants,but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of daily questions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support.When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered,their motivation to continue begins to fade.Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson,which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums.At first,the virtual assistant wasn’t too great.But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all the40,000questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill with the questions and answers.After some adjustments and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’questions correctly97%of the time.The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer.The students,who were studying artificial intelligence,were interacting with the virtual assistant and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being.Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April26.The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering40%of all the questions posed by students on the online forum.The name Jill Watson will,of course,change to something else next semester.Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of artificial intelligence than,say,Elon Musk,Stephen Hawking,Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.46.What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence?A.It is a robot that can answer students’questionsB.It is a course designed for students to learn online.C.It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching.D.It is a computer program that aids student learning.47.What problem did Professor Goel meet with?A.His students were unsatisfied with the assistants.B.His course was too difficult for the students.C.Students’questions were too many to handle.D.Too many students dropped out of his course.48.What do we learn about Jill Watson?A.She turned out to be a great success.B.She got along pretty well with students.C.She was unwelcome to students at first.D.She was released online as an experiment.49.How did the students feel about Jill Watson?A.They thought she was a bit too artificial.B.They found her not as capable as expected.C.They could not but admire her knowledge.D.They could not tell her from a real person.50.What does Professor Goel plan to do next with Jill Watson?unch different versions of her online.B.Feed her with new questions and answers.C.Assign her to answer more of students’questions.D.Encourage students to interact with her more freely.Passage TwoQuestions51to55are based on the following passage.Thinking small,being engaging,and having a sense of humor don’t hurt.Those are a few of the traits of successful science crowdfunding efforts that emerge from a recent study that examined nearly 400campaigns.But having a large network and some promotional skills may be more crucial.Crowdfunding,raising money for a project through online appeals,has taken off in recent years for everything from making movies to producing water-saving gadgets.Scientists have tried to tap Internet donors,too,with mixed success.Some raised more than twice their goals,but others have fallen short of reaching even modest targets.To determine what separates science crowdfunding triumphs from failures,a team led by science communications scholar Mike Schafer of the University of Zurich examined the content of the web-pages for371recent campaigns.Four traits stood out for those that achieved their goals,the researchers report in Public Understanding of Science.For one,they use a crowdfunding platform that specializes in raising money for science,and not just any kind of project.Although sites like Kickstarter take all comers,platforms such as and only present scientific projects.For another,they present the project with a funny video because good visuals and a sense of humor improved success.Most of them engage with potential donors,since projects that answered questions from interested donors fared better.And they target a small amount of money.The projects included in the study raised$4,000on average,with30%receiving less than$1,000.The more money a project sought,the lower the chance it reached its goal,the researchers found.Other factors may also significantly influence a project’s success,most notably,the size of a scientist’s personal and professional networks,and how much a researcher promotes a project on their own.Those two factors are by far more critical than the content on the page.Crowdfunding can be part of researchers’efforts to reach the public,and people give because“they feel a connection to the person”who is doing the fundraising—not necessarily to the science.51.What do we learn about the scientists trying to raise money online for their projects?A.They did not raise much due to modest targets.B.They made use of mixed fundraising strategies.C.Not all of them achieved their anticipated goals.D.Most of them put movies online for the purpose.52.What is the purpose of Mike Schafer’s research of recent crowdfunding campaigns?A.To create attractive content for science websites.B.To identify reasons for their different outcomes.C.To help scientists to launch innovative projects.D.To separate science projects from general ones.53.What trait contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaign?A.The potential benefit to future generations.B.Its interaction with prospective donors.C.Its originality in addressing financial issues.D.The value of the proposed project.54.What did the researchers think of the financial targets of crowdfunding projects?A.They should be small to be successful.B.They should be based on actual needs.C.They should be assessed with great care.D.They should be ambitious to gain notice.55.What motivates people to donate in a crowdfunding campaign?A.The ease of access to the content of the webpage.B.Their desire to contribute to the cause of science.C.The significance and influence of the project itself.D.Their feeling of connection to the scientists themselves.Part IV Translation(30minutes) Directions:For this part,you are allowed30minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English.You should write your answer on Answer Sheet2.中国汉族人的全名由姓和名组成。

2019年12月四级真题及答案2019年12月英语四级听力真题原文及答案News report 11）New York City police captured a cow on the loose in Prospect Park onTuesday after the animal became an attraction for tourists while walking along the streets and enjoying the park facilities. The confused creature and camera-holding humans stared at each other through a fence for several minutes. At other times the cow wandered around the 526 acre park and the artificial grass field normally used for human sporting events. Officers use soccer goals to fence the animal in. However, the cow then moved through one of the nets knocking down a police officer in the process. Police eventually trapped the cow between two vehicles parked on either side of a baseball field’s bench area. An officer then shot an arrow to put it t o sleep. Then officers waited for the drug to take effect. After it fell asleep they loaded the cow into a horse trailer. It was not clear where the cow came from or how it got lost. 2）Police turned it over to the animal control department after they caught it.一头奶牛于周二出现在公园里，警察最终抓住了它并将其送还至动物管理局。